Orange
by LunaV-chan
Summary: Velma was caught going out with a guy that the rest of Mystery Inc. despised, and afterwards, it seems as if Shaggy took it hardest of all...now I wonder why...
1. Where's Velma?

Hi people! I am so back! And with inspiration! For a Scooby Doo story! I'm going to slack off the Sailor Moon thing for a while, considering that there are no more ideas popping into my head about it! So hello, new stories! New SCOOBY stories! I love Scooby Doo! So here goes! Have fun, and enjoy!  
  
Purple

* * *

Daphne Blake sauntered down a sidewalk in downtown Coolsville, absorbed in her thoughts. Her friend, Velma Dinkley, was supposed to meet her at the malt shop, but hadn't shown. It was not like Velma to not show up. In fact, it had never happened before.  
  
Daphne walked up to her lilac colored Volkswagen Beetle which she had parked a block away from the malt shop. She got in the car, and pulled her cell phone out of her feathered purse, and dialed her boyfriend's, Fred, number. She leaned back in the seat, and closed her eyes momentarily, then grabbed a hairbrush from her handbag and ran it through her long, red hair. She heard a deep voice say hello, and she threw the hairbrush down and leaned up in her chair.  
  
"Freddy! Thank God! Have you seen Velma? She didn't show up at the malt shop! We were going shopping, but she didn't show at the spot we planned to meet at! Fred, I'm worried, she has never done this before, and you know Velmes! She'd never just NOT show up! It's so unlike her! I mean, what if something really bad happened to her and I..."  
  
"Woah, Woah, Daph!" She's fine, I'm sure! Maybe traffic got in her way?" Fred Jones reassuring voice broke into her panicked ramble, stopping her for the moment.  
  
"Fred, I waited at the malt shop for nearly an hour. Besides, the traffic seems fine! But she would call if she weren't going to make it in time! And I tried to reach her cell in the shop, but it was either off or dead!"  
  
"Ok, we'll figure this out! Head over to headquarters, ok? We're all here, except for Velma, but don't worry, ok? We'll find her, I promise!"  
  
"Ok, I'm on my way. By the way, do you wear a medium sweater or a large?"  
  
"Medium, why?"  
  
"Ok, good! On the way to the car, I saw the cutest grey sweater for you, so I bought it. I got the right size, so that's one less thing to worry about! Well, I'll be there in a minute! Love you, bye!"  
  
She snapped close the phone and revved up the car.

* * *

Fred put down the phone and turned and looked back at Shaggy Rogers and grinned. The teen was lying upside down from the couch, his legs slung over the back, trying to catch M&M's in his mouth. Scooby Doo, a Great Dane with a big appetite, was catching more of them than Shaggy. Fred walked up to them and sat opposite them on a coordinating purple couch and grabbed a magazine off the side table beside him.  
  
"Just outta curiosity, Fred, why didn't you, like, just tell Daphne what's up with Velmes?" Shaggy caught an M&M in his mouth and threw another one up. This one fell onto the rich violet carpet, where Scooby thankfully scooped it up. "Hey, man, that was mine!"  
  
"Re hehehe! Rorry, Raggy!" The dog leaped beside Fred on the couch.  
  
Fred shrugged, and ran a hand through his light blonde hair. "I dunno why. Maybe because she sounded anxious enough on the phone. Just wait, though. She's going to freak when she finds out that Velma is out on a date."  
  
"Why?" Shaggy sat up, his eyes dizzy looking.  
  
"Because. I just know Daphne. She'll be mad that Velma didn't tell her about it, and didn't get to help her plan for it. You know how Daph is about fashion and dating. It's just...her thing.."  
  
"Can I, like, leave, when you tell her?" the brown-haired guy grabbed the bag of candy that he had been eating, and started to tip- toe out of the room, his faithful companion following.  
  
"Sure, fine. Why not leave Fred here all alone to deal with a hurricane? I'm doomed, I know it. She'll be ranting about it all night, and when I take her out for dinner, she'll just complain about Velma all night!"  
  
Shaggy turned, his brown eyes wide. "Did you say dinner? Ok, I can, like, so brave the storm! Especially for chow! How bout you, Scoob?"  
  
"Rah-huh! Rah, Row!" Scooby licked his face with anticipation of a meal.  
  
Fred rolled his blue eyes. "Thanks guys. I know I can count on you guys when I'm dying."  
  
"Course you can! But Daphne's temper is worse than dying, so most of the time, you can, like, totally forget that!"

* * *

Well, there ya go! Chapter two is coming out soon! This is a cute lil short chapter! I haven't even gotten into the story yet!  
  
Luv ya and God Bless!  
  
LunaGirl 


	2. Temper of a Redhead

Hi to you all! I recently lost all inspiration to write, and so therefore almost completely emptied my hardrive of all my stories, but the other day, I went to fanfiction, read a bunch of other Scooby stories, read over my own, and BAM! There it was! I wanted to write! I was so happy! I still am! Yay! Here we go, all! I uploaded chapter one of this earlier today, then went and had to write another chapter! So here you all are!!  
  
Purple  
  
When Daphne arrived at headquarters not thirty minutes after she had called, she was in a very foul mood. Her face looked flushed with anger, for traffic had worsened since she had left the malt shop, and her thoughts had also gotten bad. Velma's sudden disappearance was at the very front of her mind.  
  
She slammed the front door on her way in, and ran into the main room, her high-heeled violet shoes clicking on the tiled entryway floor. When she noticed that Fred and Shaggy looked relaxed and calm, both sitting and reading, her temper flared. She dropped her shopping bag from Abercrombie & Fitch (which contained Fred's new gray sweater), put her hands on her slender hips, and started to yell, a shrill, very unpleasant sound coming from such a pretty girl.  
  
"Velma is out there somewhere, missing, and all you two can do is site here lazily, and read magazines?! I'm ashamed of you both! Now get up! We've got a friend to find!" The teenage girl walked into the middle of the spacious room (which, when they had bought the new headquarters, she had decorated in lush carpets of deep purple, walls of light violet, lilac couches and chairs, and of course, a snack bar full of Shaggy and Scooby's favorite treats), and grabbed Shaggy by the shirt from behind.  
  
"Ow, ouch, like, hold on a minute, Daph! Velma's, like, fine! Let go!" Shaggy felt her release him, which made him breathe a huge sigh of relief.  
  
"Oh, then where is she? I'm not in the mood for a mystery, you know." She said, crossing her arms and tapping her foot.  
  
Fred stood up from his comfortable position on the couch regretfully and walked slowly over to Daphne. "Daphne, we have to talk."  
  
"About?" Daphne raised one of her perfectly sculpted eyebrows at her boyfriend skeptically.  
  
"Well, you see..." Fred hesitantly rested his hand on her shoulder and guided her to a place on the sofa across from Shaggy where the blonde had previously been sitting. "Velma is not missing at all. She left about two hours ago, having totally forgotten about your little shopping date...because...well...Daphne, she's on another date, of a different kind..."  
  
Daphne paused before she spoke, trying to let this piece of news sink in. When it finally did, her voice broke out in a shout.  
  
"She's WHAT? She NEVER TOLD ME! Freddy, why did she not TELL ME??" Huge crocodile tears welled up in the red head's eyes, and threatened to fall.  
  
Fred put his arms around her in a comforting embrace, and softly tried to explain things to her. "I guess, for once, she wanted to go on a date without telling you because she wanted to do things her way, instead of always listening and doing things the way you want then to be done. You remember what happened last time she did things the way you wanted? With Patrick and the red...um...thing.."  
  
Daphne pulled out of his arms and groaned. "Hey, she looked great in that! I don't know why she threw it away afterwards...I would've kept it and worn it again...but...oh, well, I guess you're right, but she's going to get it for not even TELLING me...you just wait until she gets home. I'm going to...well, ok, so I don't have a plan yet, but just wait!" She extended her finger and pointed out into the open. "I'll come up with a good plan to get her back for not telling me about her date! She should know better than to do that! But, for now, I'm going to go get dressed, for, you, Fred Jones, are taking me out to dinner, and no buts, because I'm not in the mood to hear them. Got it? Good." She pranced out of the room before Fred could even get in a word to tell her that Shaggy and Scooby were coming along for dinner, too. He shrugged and turned to his hippie friend and the large dog.  
  
"Oh, well. She seemed to have taken it hard, though."  
  
"Her? Man, I'm scared for Velmster. She's in for it. Woah, Daphne's really set on a roll this time. Should Scoob and I skip out on dinner tonight?"  
  
"No way! Nah-uh. I'm not about to go alone with her tonight. Not while she's in this mood. Wherever we go to eat, guys, talk a lot. Try to make her forget Velma. For all our sakes. Can you do that?"  
  
"Man, like that's no problem. Talking is way easy for me! For Scoob, too!"  
  
"Reah, ralking reasy!" Scooby nodded his head up and down.  
  
"Cool. Come on, guys. Let's get ready to brave the storm." Fred left the room in a bit of a hurry, wanting to get ready and leave.  
  
Shaggy and Scooby stayed behind for a while, being of the lazy sort, not wanting to rush into anything.  
  
"Man, I just hope that we don't run into Velma at all tonight. That wouldn't be good."  
  
"Ruh-ruh. Ro rood rat rall. Raphre rould re rery rad."  
  
"Yeah, very. I don't think this is going to be any fun tonight Scoob."

* * *

Well, not a very long chapter, huh? It's about as long as the last one. Yeah, well, you know me! I don't type very long ones. It's just not in me. Oh, well.  
  
Here's a guide if you can't tell what Scooby is saying. It can get a little difficult if you don't know the "Scooby language", so to speak.  
  
Reah, ralking reasy = Yeah, talking easy.  
  
"ruh-ruh. Ro rood rat rall. Raphre rould re rery rad = uh-uh. No good at all. Daphne would be very mad.  
  
Well, luv u all and God Bless!  
  
LunaScoobyGurl 


	3. An Unexpected Surprise

Hi again all!! I want to thank you all for being so great and reading this lil story and reviewing it!! The Scooby section has many more dedicated fans and readers than the Sailor Moon side, I'll tell you that! I've gotten...2 reviews for a new SM story, while I've had many more for this one! So here's chapter three! Hope you all enjoy!?  
  
Purple  
  
Daphne kept looking around, perplexed, every time she saw a shorthaired brunette walk by her table. She fiddled with her halter-top and miniskirt (which of course, was of a purplish shade, with sequins) for the millionth time, whipping her head side to side, trying to spot her 'so- called friend'. Fred, dressed in a deep navy blue blazer, sighed and gently stopped her by grabbing both her hands and placing them on the table, and then taking her head which was roaming the place over and turning it to face the group at her table. She turned her head again, but this time to look at her handsome boyfriend, who was being incredibly patient with her, which he usually wasn't.  
  
"Am I bothering you, hon? I'm really sorry, but...I just can't stop thinking about Velma! I mean, could it be that she didn't tell me she was going on a date because she's mad at me...or maybe she didn't want me to know WHO she's going on a date with...do you know?" Daphne twisted her amethyst heart pendant around so the clasp wasn't shown on her neck, accidentally knocking Scooby on the side of the head when she lifted her arm. The dog shook it off, grabbed a breadstick, and jumped back under the table to his hiding spot. You don't actually think they'd truly allow a dog into a nice restaurant, even after Scooby would try to assure them that he was no dog, do you?  
  
Shaggy bit into his fifth breadstick and slid another one under the table for his dog, then looked back at the couple before him, brushing stray crumbs from his brown jacket, which was covering his usual green style of shirt. "Look, Daph, we have no clue who it is that she's dating. She just left earlier and said she had a date. That's all we know."  
  
Daphne bit her lip, as if concentrating. "I think she's either ashamed of her date, or knows its someone I would disapprove of. I wish...oh, I wish she and Patrick had stayed together! But, no, Patrick had to go off and marry some Harvard law student! That broke Velma's heart!"  
  
"Well, that's probably why she's out on a date, Daphne. She's trying to forget Patrick and go on with her life. You know, if I was you, I'd quit trying so hard to make Velma like you, and let Velma...just be Velma. Personally, I think Velma was afraid that you'd try to change her for her date in a way she didn't want to be changed, and therefore, she didn't tell you about it."  
  
Daphne stared at him, and rolled her eyes. "Darling, why didn't you go into psychology?"  
  
He shrugged. "I should have, but didn't. You know me, though. Mysteries are just my thing."  
  
She nodded and laid her head on his shoulder. Shortly after, their food arrived, and Daphne was, as usual, amazed at the huge plate of spaghetti that Shaggy had ordered. Fred had his usual lasagna plate, while she had a platter of fettuccini alfredo. When the waiter left, they all lifted up the tablecloth and passed Scooby a huge heaping of food from each of their plates onto a dog bowl that he had brought along. Scooby was overjoyed with all the food, and got down to the business of eating it all. The teens lowered the tablecloth again, and noticed the odd stares they were receiving from the people around them. Fred stifled a laugh, while Daphne was busy turning red and Shaggy was unconcerned.

* * *

After the group left the restaurant, amazing the host by walking out with a dog covered in spaghetti sauce, they headed to the mall. Fred hoped that shopping would take his girlfriend's mind off her best friend.  
  
While Fred and Shaggy sat outside a store waiting for Daphne, they watched Scooby chew on a bone Shaggy had bought from the pet store.  
  
"How did you get Scooby in that restaurant, anyways, Shag?" Fred asked, still baffled by the incidence.  
  
"Oh, that was, like, easy! Daphne and I had a huge plan all made up for getting him in while you were in the bathroom. After Scooby tried to tell the guy at the front that he was no dog, and after they led him out, we walked in and found our table. Daphne got up and went to the restroom, thus letting Scoob in through a window. And, dude, that was awesome! She said those windows were small! It was a good plan..."  
  
Fred grinned. "You amaze me sometimes, Shags."  
  
Daphne came out of the store she had been in carrying two large shopping bags with her. She sat down in between the two young men and pulled something out of the bag, and called Scooby over. "Scooby, I got you something!"  
  
"Ro roy, ro roy! Rhat ris rit?" Scooby bounded over to her, tossing the bone he had been chewing into the pet store bag by Shaggy's feet.  
  
Daphne held up a large box with a picture of a Great Dane shaped bubble gum machine. "See? Isn't it cute? I thought you could put dog treats in it!"  
  
"Hey, that's pretty cool, man!" Shaggy grabbed the package. "We'll put it by the snack bar!"  
  
"Reah, reah!" Scooby nodded his head excitedly.  
  
Fred was smiling, and turned to look around. His eyes widened with horror when he looked at the line of people who were coming out of the movie theater. "Oh, my God. No wonder she never told us who she was going on a date with! Daphne's not the only one who would disapprove!"  
  
"Why's that, man?" Shaggy turned and looked where Fred was pointing and gasped.  
  
Daphne stood up while putting the present for Scooby back in one of the bags she had been carrying and looked where they were gazing.  
  
"WHAT THE HELL! RED HERRING??" She dropped the bag, making Scooby take a mad dash to save his beloved treat machine.

* * *

Well, what do you think? Well, I like this chapter! I thought it was totally unexpected. It's weird, thinking of Red and Velma, ain't it? Well, I'm going to get started on Chapter four tonight. So R & R this chapter, and drop me an email if ya'd like!  
  
Here's what Scooby said for the most part...  
  
"Ro roy, Ro roy! Rhat ris rit?" = "Oh boy, oh boy! What is it?"  
  
"Reah, Reah!" = "Yeah, Yeah!"  
  
Luv u all and God Bless!  
  
LunaScoobyGurl 


	4. She's Not Going To Take It

Well, here we go again! Chapter 4! I never thought I would have so many reviews on one story! It's never happened before! I guess Sailor Moon fans are just stuck up and don't like to review...huh...but you guys...you all are great! Love you alls, and keep reviewing! I'm dedicating this chapter to all of you who have reviewd!!!  
  
Purple  
  
"Oh, my God! What in the world do they think they're doing? DATING! It's bad enough to have to KNOW Red, but to date him?" Daphne rambled and raved as Fred vainly tried to clamp a hand over her mouth, being fearful of confrontation with his old rival.  
  
"Daph, be quiet! I don't want them to see us! God, no! Don't you remember how Red used to torment me in grade school?" Fred's eyes looked worried when Daphne turned to glance at him.  
  
She sighed. "You're right...but Fred, can you BELIEVE her? I thought she had better taste than THAT! Gods, Patrick must have screwed her mind when he dumped her. She can do SO much better than Red! He's SO NOT in her league!"  
  
"Daph's right on that one. She can do a lot better than Red." Shaggy said quietly from behind them.  
  
Daphne heard the faint jealousy in his voice and twisted her head to the side to glance back at him. His face was a light pink color and his eyes were reverted to the ground. Scooby was sitting at his feet, revolving the box that contained his doggy treat dispenser, checking it for any sign of breakage.  
  
She grinned slightly, but said nothing. Looking ahead at the couple that was walking into a candy store, she sighed. "I don't want to see Red anymore than you two do, so we'll leave Velma alone for now." She spun on her heels and swooped her bags up. "But let's get home fast. That way, when she comes in, we'll be there to spring on her. I'm going to have a talk with our little mystery genius."

* * *

They gang piled into headquarters a few minutes later. Scooby ran in, carrying his present in a bag. The brown and black-spotted dog barked at Shaggy until the man agreed to help his friend put together the machine, leaving Daphne and Fred to sit alone on a couch.  
  
Fred was rubbing his chin thoughtfully, thinking of his childhood. Daphne could tell that he disapproved of Red even more than SHE did. The redheaded girl sat thinking, pondering the reason for Velma's actions. It was VERY unlike Velma to date a man like Red. He was so different from her that it was frightening. He was incredibly stupid, while Velma was a downright genius. He was rude and obnoxious, while Velma was polite, kind, and sincere. He was loud while Velma was quiet and shy. Daphne sighed and leaned her head back. She remembered when SHE had dated Red back in high school, before she and Fred had gotten together. Red was a very popular boy, and a huge jock. Daphne had only gone on one date with him before realizing that he was incredibly wrong for her. He was very angry when she had refused him for a second date, and had nearly hit her. She shuddered with the memory. 'I don't like this...' She thought. 'I don't like this at ALL. If he hurts Velma...I'll...I'll KILL HIM!'  
  
The teens heard a key turning in the door, and saw Velma walk in, looking tired. She was rubbing her eyes groggily and yawning. She noticed that they were all staring at her, and blushed. "Um...hey, guys!"  
  
"Hey, my ass! WE SAW YOU! What in hell do you think you're doing, dating Red Herring? Much less, without telling us?"  
  
Now...you're thinking that Daphne said that, right? WRONG. Guess again. No, not Fred. It was Shaggy.  
  
The brunette's jaw dropped, as did the other occupants in the room. "I, well...Shaggy, I never knew you had a problem with me dating someone..." She stammered, her brown eyes fixated on the floor.  
  
Shaggy blushed, realizing all that he had said. "Yeah, well...um...I'm...like, going to go to bed! See you all tomorrow! C'mon, Scoob! To the Mystery Machine!" Like a bullet being shot out of a gun, the tall boy sprinted out the door, Scooby running out behind him.  
  
"Shaggy! Wait! Where are you going?! You live here..." Daphne said, shaking her head.  
  
"Well, he...must have gotten...embarrassed...he'll be back, though. Now, on to other situations..." Fred propped himself on the back of the couch and folded his arms. "See that chair, Velma? Have a seat." He pointed to a stool at the snack bar.  
  
"O...K..." She followed his orders and sat, straightening her red skirt.  
  
"Velma...why did you go on a date with Red? You can do so much better than him! And, like Shaggy said, why didn't you tell us? I mean, Fred and Shaggy knew that you were going on a date, but had no clue as to whom it was you were dating, but I didn't know at all! Why?" Daphne sat on the stool next to Velma.  
  
Casting her eyes down, Velma slowly spoke, fidgeting with eher glasses. "I'm sorry, Daphne. I really am. I just...didn't think you'd approve, and I was right. You care so much about who I date...and well; I wanted to go out with Red. Not because it was Red, but because I just needed to get out...and get away...you understand, don't you? Ever since Patrick and I broke up, I've been feeling dejected and depressed. You're right, I can do better than Red, but I even told him that we were just going mainly as friends..."  
  
"But how can you even be friends with him?" Fred muttered, plopping down on the sofa, his arms still crossed unhappily.  
  
Velma's eyes reverted and looked sternly at him. "You listen here, Fred Jones. I can be a friend with whomever I please, and you have no say so in it. You aren't the boss of me, even though you try to act like it sometimes. I'm sick of you all walking all over me! I have rights as a human, too! Just because I'm shy doesn't mean I want people to rule my life, you know. Good night, you two. I'm tired and going to bed! If Shaggy decides to back, tell him I said good night." She jumped off the stool angrily and stormed down the hall, slamming the door to her bedroom.  
  
Fred and Daphne both blinked and looked at each other. They shrugged.

* * *

You tell 'em, Velma! I like Velma. She's a cool character. I should've named this story something after her, but, oh, well, I'll go back later and rename it. Anyone have any suggestions? Let me know! Anyways, thanks for reading and remember to review! Buh-bye!  
  
Luv you all and God Bless!  
  
LunaScoobyGurl 


	5. Scooby, We'll Get You Those Pancakes!

Hi, hi, to all! I have another chapter for you all! By the way, a lot of you have been complaining that my chapters are too short...so...instead of having two or three short chapters, I'll have one really long chapter! Will that make everybody happy? . hehe! Well, on to the story! See ya at the end!  
  
Purple  
  
"Fred, come here!" Daphne grabbed her boyfriend's arm before he disappeared into his bedroom and yanked him into her own room.  
  
"Hey, hey! What's up with you? God, your nails could kill someone!" The blonde complained as he sat down on a purple butterfly chair in front of Daphne's closet, rubbing his arm.  
  
She rolled her eyes and sat down adjacent from him on her bed. "Fred, shut up and listen. Is it just me, or did Shaggy seem jealous of Red, in the mall? And when Velma came in, why did HE start yelling? We were the ones complaining, but yet he started to ask Velma what she had been thinking and all kinds of stuff! Why do you think he did that?" The girl had a mysterious glint in her eyes, making Fred twitch in his seat.  
  
"Because...um..." He scratched his head, trying to figure it out.  
  
"Because Shaggy is in love with Velma! Why didn't we see this before Fred? Now I know why, whenever we split up, Shaggy always wants Velma to go with Scooby and him. It's so obvious! The little stares, the smiles! Why didn't I see it coming?" She answered her own question, grabbing Fred by the shoulders and shaking him.  
  
"Whoa, Shags? And Velma? No way! I don't think that's it, Daphne." Fred shook his head back and forth swiftly, and placed his hands over hers.  
  
Daphne sighed, and pulled away. "Oh, then what is it? If you're so smart, why don't you figure this one out, huh?"  
  
"Because, frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn." Fred leaned back in the chair, closing his eyes.  
  
"Don't go Rhett Butler on ME, Fred. I'm right and you know it! Shaggy and Velma are meant for each other, and even if you don't help me, I'm going to get them together! So...are you with me or against me?"  
  
He opened one eye, a grin on his face. "Will you let me leave and go to sleep?"  
  
"Yes, Freddy."  
  
"Ok, I'm in!" He launched out of the chair, making for the door. Suddenly, he stopped and turned to look at his girlfriend, sitting with her legs crossed on the bed. "Hey, I changed my mind. I'm not in."  
  
Daphne's mouth curved downward into a deep frown. "And why is that?" she said angrily, her eyes filled with annoyance.  
  
He leaned against the door, a smile on his face. "Ok, so I'm still in, if you agree to my new terms."  
  
"New terms?" She inquired.  
  
He nodded. "Yup. I changed my mind. I don't want to LEAVE and go to sleep."  
  
"Oh, then what are your new terms?" She raised an eyebrow, scooting backwards on the bed.  
  
"To stay in HERE and sleep! Or...maybe not SLEEP..." He said, walking towards her.  
  
She reached back, scooped up a pillow, and flung it at him. "Go to bed, Fred!" She laughed at herself for her rhyme.  
  
"Alright! I will!" He hopped on the bed, and pushed Daphne into the backboard, against the pillows, pinning her down. "I think you've been worrying too much today over Velma and Shaggy, and even Scooby! It's my turn!"  
  
She giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I have, have I? Oh, fine! You can stay in here! Just let me go for a minute, at least! I'm still in my dress!"  
  
"Ok, fine! But hurry back before I start to think you tried to copy Scooby-Doo and climb out a window!" Kissing the top of her head, he released her.  
  
She jumped off the bed, and ran into the bathroom. Fred listened as he heard cabinets opening and slamming shut, and then suddenly stopped. He waited for a moment before walking to the bathroom door and knocking.  
  
"Daphne, you okay in there?"  
  
The door opened and she stepped out in a purple spaghetti strapped top, and pajama bottoms covered in purple moons and stars. She was carrying a spray bottle that she used for her hair. She aimed it and Fred. "You know, I can't believe you thought that I was actually going to let you stay in here without a fight!" She squeezed the lever, and streaked Fred with a blast of water. He stood there for a moment, not making a move or sound. Daphne waited for a payback, but none came. He stood with his head down, not looking at her, but at the floor. After a long time of silence, Daphne thought he was mad, therefore felt incredibly guilty.  
  
"Fred? Freddy? Oh, I'm sorry! Here, let me clean you up..." She ran back into the bathroom, snatched a towel, came back and started to wipe off the front of Fred's white shirt.  
  
She finished drying off his shirt and threw the towel in a hamper, and wrapped her arms around his waist. He was beginning to worry her, for he had said nothing since she had sprayed him. "Fred, are you mad? I'm really sorry! I was just kidding, I promise! I WANT you to stay in here with me...just as long as neither Velma or Shaggy finds out..."  
  
He started to laugh, and swooped her up in his arms, carrying her to the bed. "You know, I can't believe YOU fell for THAT! I wasn't MAD at all! But I'm happy! I get my way for once!"  
  
Daphne gasped, and struggled to get away from him. "Freddy! How could you! Oh, you can be such a jerk sometimes!"  
  
"Yeah, and you can be such a spoiled little drama queen! But I love you for your flaws, and I know you love me for mine, so can we jut shut up about it! I'm getting tired of just STANDING here. You're not as light as you look."  
  
"Hey! I AM light! It's just that you're so damn WEAK!" She felt herself falling, and cried out when her head hit a pillow. "Hey, you coulda told me you were going to drop me!"  
  
"Why? You didn't tell me you were going to spray me with water. I think we're about even, don't you?" Fred dropped to the bed beside her, laying his head on her shoulder.  
  
She laughed. "Yes, we're even! Now, can we please go to sleep? I'm exhausted, and we've got a lot to do in the morning!"  
  
"Is match-making Shaggy and Velma all you can think about?" He asked exasperatedly, pulling the covers over them both.  
  
"No, and I promise I won't say another word about it until morning. OK?"  
  
"Thank you!"  
  
"You're welcome...but Fred?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You will help me, won't you?"  
  
He laughed and pressed her to him. "Yes, Daph, I will!"  
  
"Ok, good! You're the greatest!"  
  
"Do I get a kiss for being the greatest? Or maybe even MORE than a kiss?" He looked at her, giving her 'puppy-dog eyes'.  
  
"What MORE do you want?" She turned over, cuddling on top of him. Reaching up, she ran her fingers through his hair, letting her hand stop at the nape of his neck.  
  
He thought for a moment, and then changed his mind. "Nothing, Daph." He smiled genuinely at her, kissing the top of her head. "Having you here is all I'll ever need."  
  
"Oh, Fred." She yawned. "You really are sweet. But I'm so tired I can't think. G'night, Freddy." She snuggled into his arms, gliding her arms down his back to rest at his waist.  
  
He kissed her lips gently before closing his eye to sleep.  
  
"Good night, Daphne."

* * *

The morning sun peeked through the windows, giving Daphne's bedroom a glistening look. She awoke, hearing loud snoring and feeling Fred gripping her waist. She turned to wake Fred, and saw he was already awake. She looked puzzled, wondering where the snoring was coming from. Fred nodded his head towards the end of the bed. She looked down and saw Scooby-Doo sleeping, turning over in his sleep. She laughed.  
  
"Now how in the world did he get in here?" She asked, sitting up.  
  
Fred shrugged. "The window again, I think. It's open. We'll ask when he wakes up."  
  
As if he had been ordered, Scooby opened his eyes and stretched, kicking both of the bed's occupants in the face.  
  
"Scooby!" Daphne yelled, batting his paws away.  
  
"Roops...rorry." The dog apologized, and sat up.  
  
"Scooby, how did you get in here last night? And why? You always stay with Shag." Fred asked, rubbing Scooby behind the ears.  
  
"Raggy rin ra rad rood, ro Scooby-Roo ray raray ror a rile."  
  
"A bad mood? Is he here?" Daphne slid out of the bed and headed out the door to the living room.  
  
"Ra-huh. Re rent to red ra rile ago, rand raid ror re ro re riet. Ro re ro ro Rapre's room rand rind Raphre and Red!"  
  
"Oh....he still must be upset about Velma's date with Red..." Daphne muttered, walking straight into the kitchen area. "Ok, Scoob, what do ya want for breakfast?"  
  
"Ranrakes!" Scooby exclaimed, jumping to sit on a bench at the snack bar.  
  
"Pancakes it is! Now let's hope that when Shag and Velms get up, they'll both be in better moods! I think Fred and I made Velma REALLY mad yesterday. Well, at least I know that FRED made her mad, being his usual bossy self." Daphne started rummaging around in all the kitchen cabinets, searching for the right ingredients for pancakes. She gathered all the things she needed and placed them next to the gas stove. "I am not BOSSY." Fred stated, taking a seat beside Scooby.  
  
"You are, too. Now hand me that jar, would ya? It's got all my pancake mix in it."  
  
"Going the easy way, are we?" Fred mumbled, passing her the can.  
  
"Yes, I am. You have a problem with that?"  
  
"No, I just like things HOMEMADE better than out of a box or can. That's just laziness."  
  
"Ew, homemade! That's a total waste of time!" Daphne added water to the mix and started to stir.  
  
Fred rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Daph." He swiveled around the twisting barstool, seeing Velma walking in, already dressed in her favorite outfit, an orange sweater and red straight skirt that came a bit above her knees. "Hey, Velmster! Sleep well?"  
  
"Fine, thank you. Pancakes, Daphne?" Velma smiled at Fred, and afterward sat down beside Scooby at the last remaining barstool.  
  
"Yup. Blame the Dane." Daphne nodded towards Scooby, who was drooling with eagerness. You could tell that the only thing on his mind was the growl in his stomach, and not only by the drool, but actually...by the sound OF his stomach!  
  
Velma patted Scooby on the head. "It's ok, Scooby. I like pancakes, too!"  
  
"G'mornin, Mystery Inc.! No mysteries for the day, I hope!" Shaggy, still in his green pajamas, hopped into the room, his attitude from the previous day obviously forgotten.  
  
"Not so far, Shag. Daphne's making pancakes." Fred waved to him from across the room.  
  
"Not with pancake mix from a store, I hope. They just aren't as GOOD that way. Move over, Daphne! Let a pro do this!" Shaggy dipped his finger in the batter, licked it, scrunched his face, then took the bowl from Daphne's arms and dumped it in the trashcan under the counter.  
  
"HEY!" Daphne yelled, but Shaggy paid no attention.  
  
"Homemade pancakes, Shaggy style, coming up. Sounds pretty good, don't it, Scoob?" He tied an apron around his waist and shoved Daphne into a seat behind him at the kitchen table.  
  
"Rah- huh!" Scooby licked his face, clapping his paws.  
  
"So what's on the agenda for today, Velma? Anyone call with a mystery?" Fred asked, watching Velma take off her glasses to clean them and put them back on.  
  
"No, not today. We're free for a while, it seems. But I have plans, though."  
  
Daphne raised her eyes to look up at Velma. "Oh? Plans? With whom?"  
  
Velma sighed. "With Red, Daphne. Is that ok with you, or do I need to cancel?" She asked sarcastically, her eyes glassed over.  
  
"You need to cancel! Red Herring is bad news, Velma! You know better than to get involved with a guy like that!" Daphne launched out of the chair to stand beside Shaggy, and leaned over the counter to look Velma straight in the eye.  
  
"I'm not INVOLVED with anyone, Daphne! I'm not sleeping with him, am I? I'm not even dating him! We're just friends, and I promise that's all it is! We have a couple of the same interests, and he's taking me to a mystery book fair this afternoon, as a friend and fellow mystery lover!" She looked over at Shaggy, who was stirring the pancake batter he had put together silently. She smiled.  
  
Daphne noticed a dreamy look in Velma's eyes for a moment before the intelligent girl spoke up.  
  
"Shaggy, save me a pancake for later, ok? I don't think I'll be staying for breakfast." She stood up, scratched Scooby's ear, and walked out the door, grabbing her coat and bracing herself for the chilly October winds of Coolsville.  
  
"Ok, Velma...bye..." Shaggy whispered, and sighed as she left.  
  
"Red Herring does not like mysteries." Fred declared. "In fact, if you remember, he hates them! He made fun of me for having a detective handbook in the sixth grade. I don't like this, guys. He's up to something, and it has something to do with getting through to Velma."  
  
Shaggy suddenly slammed the pancake bowl on the counter, making everyone jump. "If he even dares try to hurt Velma in any way, I'll find him myself and KILL him."  
  
Scooby whimpered as he saw the mess of pancake all over the counter. Shaggy noticed and grabbed a rag to wipe it up. "Aw, man, Scoob, I'm sorry. How about we go out for breakfast. I'm not in the mood anymore for cooking."  
  
"Rokay! Ret's ro ro RIHOP!"  
  
"IHOP! Sounds good to me! We'll get pancakes out of this no matter what!" Fred laughed.  
  
Daphne placed a hand on Shaggy's shoulder. "Shaggy, be truthful. You care for Velma, don't you?"  
  
He looked nervous. "Well...yah, I mean, like, don't you? We all do..."  
  
"Yes, but you care for her in a bit of a different way." Fred said, grinning. "I think I know, Shag. You're acting exactly like me when I think Daphne's in trouble."  
  
Shaggy sighed. "It's that obvious, huh?"  
  
"Totally." Daphne said, mimicking Shaggy's usual choice of words.  
  
He grinned slightly. "Aw, man. I guess I gotta confess."  
  
"REY! Ret's ro! Ri reed ranrakes!" Scooby hollered from his place standing by the door. They all turned to look at him, noticing that he had all of their coats, and the keys to the Mystery Machine.  
  
"Ok, Scooby! We're coming!" Daphne giggled, running down the hall to her bedroom to change clothes. Fred followed, leaving Shaggy and Scooby to wait on them.  
  
"Raggy rin rove rith Relma?" Scooby asked.  
  
"Yeah, buddy, I guess you could say that..." Shaggy smiled, walking down the hall to his own room to change clothes.  
  
"Rooby- Roo rin rove, roo! Rith rood!" Scooby bellowed down the hall.  
  
Shaggy laughed. "Me, too, buddy!" He stopped and turned to look back at his best friend. "Well, next to Velma..."  
  
"Rehehehe!"

* * *

Ok, there you go! It's longer! Ha! I did it! Yay, go me! Ok, I really need to include a "Scooby Talk Guide" in this chapter. So here you go! Bye for now! See you next chapter! BTW, IHOP is a restaurant and Rhett Butler is from Gone With The Wind. Just in case you had no clue what I was talking about...which is very unlikely, cause, frankly, who hasn't been to an IHOP?

* * *

Scooby Talk Guide:  
  
"Roops, rorry." = "Oops, sorry."  
  
"Raggy rin ra rad rood, ro Scooby-Roo ray raray ror a rile." = "Shaggy in a bad mood, so Scooby- Doo stay in here for a while."  
  
"Ra-huh. Re rent to red ra rile ago, rand raid ror re ro re riet. Ro re ro ro Rapre's room rand rind Raphre rand Red!" = "Uh-huh. He went to bed a while ago, and said for me to be quiet. So me go to Daphne's room and find Daphne and Fred!"  
  
"Ranrakes!" = "Pancakes!"  
  
"Ruh-huh!" = "Uh-huh!"  
  
"Rokay! Ret's ro ro RIHOP!" = "Okay! Let's go to IHOP!"  
  
"REY! Ret's ro! Ri reed ranrakes!" = "HEY! Let's go! I need pancake!"  
  
"Raggy rin rove rith Relma?" = "Shaggy in love with Velma?"  
  
"Rooby- Roo rin rove, roo! Rit rood!" = "Scooby-Doo in love, too! With food!"

* * *

Well, that'll help ya! Luv u all and God Bless!  
  
LunaScoobyGurl 


	6. The Coolsville Mystery Novel Fair

Hi all again! I know it's been a while since I've updated, but as Reviewer() told you all in a review, real life got in the way...I'm trying to take more time to write my stories, though, and have been sitting in the hospital and writing them...it's a whole lot better than watching the news nonstop...I swear that's all that's ever on at the hospital is NBC news! Boring! LOL! Anyways, school is starting back up too, so I've got to buckle down and read The Scarlet Letter before school starts, or my Honors English teacher will be pissed! . So sorry that my chapters are going to be coming very slowly for a while, but, I can't help it, and I know you all won't be too hard on me about it...

**Purple**

"So in conclusion, the murderer actually turned out to be Lydia Manchunes. Any questions?"

**"Yeah, could this be any more boring?" Red Herring muttered under his breath, so his companion wouldn't hear. He looked at the girl standing next to him with disgust as she raised her hand to point out parts of the mystery novel that the lecturer had missed. **

**As the woman at the front began to rant on about another one of her favorite author's books, Velma turned away to look at Red.**

**"Phew...the next book she's talking about is one I don't like, so let's go, ok?" **

**"Fine by me!" Red said happily, following Velma as she wandered down the Fair lane. The Mystery Novels Fair was in the middle of historic Coolsville, in its prized park. Surrounded by a fresh forest and sparkling lake, it was loved by all who came to sit and read in peace and quiet. This being the case, it was perfect for the fair.**

**"So where to next?" Velma tied her hands behind her back and stretched, walking ahead of her 'date'.**

**"Anywhere you want, I guess."**

**"Say, why don't we go to a author's booth that you like? Who's your favorite mystery writer?" Velma turned around and stopped, facing the redheaded man.**

** "O...oooh...my favorite writer? It's um...well, it's..." Searching around frantically, he pointed at the closest booth. "It's that one! My favorite is..."**

**"Mary Higgins Clark?" Velma blinked, unsure. "She usually targets her books at a female audience, but, ok...if you like her..." She shrugged and walked towards it, Red following, breathing a sigh of relief.**

**"Welcome! Is there a particular book that you're looking for?" A friendly woman appeared in front of Velma, smiling widely.**

**Velma smiled back. "Oh, Clark books aren't my cup of tea. I mean, they're interesting and all...but really, I've already read them all... My friend here says that she's his favorite, though. Red, is there a book you want?" **

**Red turned pink as the young, pretty woman looked skeptically at him though wide-rimmed glasses. "Yes, sir, we have all of Clark's books together right here! Her new book is just arriving this morning. I'll have to check in the back for the title."**

**"Um...yeah...ok...sure...I'll just get her new book if that's ok with you...I've...I've um...already read all the others ones..." Red fidgeted round, running his hand through his ruddy auburn hair nervously.**

**The woman smirked. "I'm sure you have. I'll be back in a moment." She turned and walked into the back of the tent, behind three roof high stacks of books.**

**"This is fun, Red! I'm glad you invited me to come along! It's been great fun..." Velma turned and smiled up at her companion. "Too bad my friends couldn't be here...Fred would have loved the fair as much as me!"**

**Red turned to her. "Why didn't you and Fred ever hook up, Velma?"**

**Velma laughed. "Me? And Fred? No way! We're not right for one another. Besides, Fred has Daphne and he loves her dearly. It would never work for Fred and me."**

**Red folded his arms across his chest. "Nah, I don't think that's it. I think it's that the little twerp could never keep up with you in the first place."**

**Velma blinked. "Huh? No, no, don't say that! Fred is a good person! He's genuine and kind, even is he is a little...oh...how do you say... full of pride? I know you two never got along as children, but you could be friends now, if you tried."**

**Red snorted. "Never will I be a friend with that geek. I don't care how long you and I date or anything. I'm avoiding the loser."**

**Velma saw the woman coming from the back and held her tongue, but looked at Red with a glower in her eye.**

**When they walked outside the tent, Velma turned and looked at Red. "Red...we are not..._dating_...you are just a friend...."**

**Red was scoffing down at the book in his hand. He looked up at Velma with a frown. "What?"**

**Velma looked around nervously. "Look, right now I'm really confused. I don't know what we are...but...Red, I will never date you. You just aren't my type. I have to go. I haven't spent any time with my friends in a while, and there are a few things that we need to work out. I'm sorry, but I need to be going now." She smiled slightly at him and turned away, jogging away.**

**Red turned to the book in his hand scornfully. "Damn book." He tossed it over into a shrub and walked away in the opposite direction from which Velma was retreating. "Like I'd actually date her, anyways. Yeah, right. She can only wish...but I do have plans for her...she just doesn't know it yet..." He grinned and looked out at a playground for small children. A young girl saw him standing there, pointed to him, and started to cry loudly.**

****

**Hehehe...he makes small children cry...aww...poor little girl...hehehe...well, it might be a long while before I get another chapter out, but enjoy this one, and don't worry, I'm still here, just a little sidetracked. Tata!**

**Luv ya and God Bless! **

**LunaGirl**


	7. ExBoyfriend

Hi!!!! I'm back with a new chapter! I've had this chapter finished for three weeks, but I never had time to post it! Sorry about the delay! There are at least four or five more chapters to go for this story, so don't think that it's going to be ending anytime soon!

Purple

"Daphne, you have a plan? This is one mystery I have no clue on..." Fred turned and looked beside him in the Mystery Machine at his girlfriend. She sighed and shrugged, looking out the van's window. The Mystery Machine was a van that the gang had bought with all the equipment they needed to solve mysteries, including tracking devices and identification tools. It was brightly multicolored, with various greens, blues, oranges, and yellows. The gang loved the van and no matter how hideous Daphne thought it looked, even she would never want to trade it in for any other car.

"I really have no clue on this one, either, Freddy. I mean, why Red wants to date Velma is the strangest mystery we've ever really encountered..." Daphne laughed. "She's not exactly his type, you know. She's too damn smart for the likes of him."

Shaggy stuck his head in the front of the van where Fred and Daphne were sitting. "Well, no matter what, this mystery is important! The others meant nothing, but this involves one of our best friends, so we have to do our very best, and we have to put in at least five hundred percent! Agreed?"

Daphne nodded. "Most definitely! Agreed!"

Fred grinned. "Words of wisdom, Shags. Agreed."

Scooby Doo looked over Daphne's chair. "Ri ragree, roo!"

"Let's do this, gang." Daphne slipped her sunglasses over her eyes. "Step on it, Fred. Let's give Red Herring a visit."

"You got it, Daph." Fred revved up the engine and roared out of the headquarters' garage.

"Rooby, rooby, roo!"

* * *

Velma stopped jogging as soon as Red was out of view and started to walk down the park boulevard, tears brimming in her eyes. "I don't want to date Red...but I don't want to be alone anymore...I'm so alone...oh, Patrick, why did you have to do this to me?" She sat down on a bench on the edge of the lake and started to cry. "I hate this." She covered her face with her hand, sobbing. "I've never felt this way before...why do I care so much if I have a boyfriend or not? I...I...I don't want to be like this, but I can't help it..." She reached into her brown shoulder bag and pulled out a tissue and blew her nose.

"Velma? Velma, is that you?"

Velma gasped and turned, seeing a short, redheaded man looking at her through wide rimmed glasses, his hand in the pocket of his plaid brown suit jacket. "Patrick! What..." She stood up and wiped her eyes. "What are you doing here?"

He smiled. "Hilary and I are here visiting my parents. She went shopping with my mom, so I decided to take a walk. Hey...are you okay? Have you been crying?" He walked up to her, standing only two inches away from where she stood. "Is there something I can do to help?"

She scoffed. "Yeah, sure. You're part of the cause, you idiot. God, Patrick, you're a real jerk, you know that? After dating for three months, you up and say you're engaged! Oh my God, you have no idea how mad I am at you! You were cheating the whole time we were dating, and what's even more awful, I actually thought...damn it; I thought you loved me, too! Patrick, I hate you now! How could you do this to me? I don't deserve this! I'm no better than anyone else, but at least I know I'm better than this sobbing...this sobbing...this sobbing girl I've become!" She took another tissue out of her large purse and wiped at her eyes. "Look, I have to leave. Goodbye, Patrick. I hope I never see you again." She turned and started to walk away, sniffling and wiping her nose and eyes.

"VELMA! Velma, wait, please!" Patrick ran up and grabbed her arm. She shrugged it off, but stopped walking and turned back to him.

"What do you want, Patrick? Can't you see you've already tortured me enough?"

"Velma...oh, Velma...Look...I...I..." Patrick sighed, shaking his head. "Look, Velma, there's no good way to say this, but...I liked you a lot, I really did, and for the longest time I thought it would work between us, but...Velma...I'm sorry, but you're just not the right girl for me...Hilary is, though. You're so obsessed with your mysteries and hanging with your friends, but...well...there was barely ever anytime for US, because you were always running off with Mystery Inc., off on some crazy expedition to solve a mystery. I couldn't handle it, so...when you were away, I met Hilary...and it just kind of...clicked that you and I weren't meant to be. So I'm sorry I hurt you, but I can't take back the past, Velma, no matter how much I might like to."

Velma looked up at him with pure anger flashing in her deep brown eyes. "Why didn't you just tell me that when you broke it off, Patrick? Why torture me this much, huh? I never want to see you again, Patrick, I told you that already...You make me feel bad about myself, and I don't like feeling this way at ALL. Goodbye, Patrick. Good luck with the blonde ditz you call your wife." Spinning on her heels, Velma rushed out of the park as fast as she could.

* * *

"Look, Freddy, there's Velma!" Shaggy pointed at the small girl walking down the Coolville sidewalk hugging her arms to herself crying. Fred spun the van into a three-point turn and stopped right in front of her. She continued walking, not noticing anything that was going on around her. Shaggy slammed open the van door and sped out, grabbing Velma's arm.

"Velmster, we been looking all over for you!"

She turned around, tears still freely flowing from her eyes. "Oh, hi, Shaggy. Sorry I look so awful...I saw Patrick in the park...and well...I..." She broke down and started sobbing again.

Shaggy's eyes filled with compassion and he led her back to the van, where she sat and drank half of Scooby Doo's chocolate milkshake (which he had said that he couldn't leave headquarters without)

* * *

When the gang arrived back at headquarters, Daphne made sure that Velma went straight to bed, telling her it was always best to take a nap to restore your eyes after you've been crying, which made Fred laugh, saying that Daphne and her "beauty tips" would be the end of Velma's eyes. He happened to receive a good stomp on his foot for this comment.

Shaggy had been incredibly quiet ever since they had picked Velma up, and hadn't said a word to anyone. He sat now with his long legs crossed on the purple couch in the living area of headquarters, his usually merry and happy eyes filled with anger, sadness, and confusion. Fred noticed his friend's mood and decided that in Shaggy's case, it was best just to let it be and let the man figure things out for himself.

So while Velma slept, Shaggy thought, and Scooby Doo sat watching TV, Daphne and Fred sat out on the back patio, gazing at the sunset and talking.

"You think Shaggy and Velma will get together because of this?" Daphne wondered, leaning back in a lawn chair.

"Well, Daph, I hope they get together, but I hope they don't just start dating BECAUSE of this."

She nodded. "Yeah, me, too."

The couple remained quiet for several minutes, just enjoying the scene before them and the company they had in each other. Fred observed Daphne for several minutes, just enjoying the serene look on her face.

"Daphne..." Fred turned to his girlfriend, trying to hide a blush that was creeping its way to his handsome face.

"Hmm?" She glanced at him and noticed the blush. She smiled. "Yeah, Freddy?"

"Well...you know....um...well, you know how the other night....when we um...well, we...you...you know...well, I...I was wondering...you see...we kind of left off at a point...because you said that you were tired...and well...I was wondering if...if you might just want to...pick up where we left off...." The blush now stained his entire face, causing Daphne to giggle.

"Freddy, have I ever told you that you're cute when you blush?"

"Huh? Well, um, well...no."

She smiled and stood up. "Well, doll, if you want to 'pick up' where we 'left off', then come inside. I'm not staying out HERE, you know..." She opened the sliding glass doors that led to the living room, and walked inside, leaving Fred to watch her walk away. He stayed immobile for about two seconds, then took off running.

* * *

Hi, again, all! R&R, I hope you enjoyed it, and well, this next chapter might come a LOT sooner than the last one did. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about ya! 


	8. The Case Is Over!

As you all may well know, I have changed the title of this story, which originally was planned to be about Daphne, but about at Chapter 2, it changed quite a bit over to a Velma story. Enjoy this chapter.

Orange

---------

"So, I would say that as the human mind evolves, a certain hormone triggers that sense in all of us that has criminal intent."

"Are you saying, Miss Dinkly, that all of us here are potential killers, rapists, or thieves?"

"Quite frankly, yes. It all depends on that hormone and the way that it is used in the body. For example, a study shows that young boys who frequently wet the bed can grow to be serial killers. Well, why is this, you ask. Simple. The mind of a child can be easily bended. The bed wetting experience can be embarrassing and brutal, even if the only people who know about it are your parents. Boys tend to take this hard to heart more than girls. Girls tend to have a more…stable mind at that age, which fades away around the age of 12, when the first menstrual sets in. What I'm saying, though, is that after that experience happens so many times, it triggers this hormone in the child that he goes mad, and this may not show up for months, years even. I'm not saying that if your son wets the bed, he's going to become a serial killer. I'm saying that the nerves in the young boys minds are a lot less stable than that of young girls, and should be taken seriously. That is all, gentlemen, for the day. Thank you." Velma stepped down from the podium in the speaking hall, and was quickly ushered out of the room by several men. Among them were Shaggy and Fred.

"That was a great lecture, Velmester. You're sure to get that scholarship now." Fred winked at her.

"I sure hope so. What are all these guards doing?"

"We get an escort out." Shaggy grinned. "Accordingly, at this school you're a star, and they're afraid of mobs coming after you."

Velma blushed. "Oh. Wow."

Fred laughed. "Okay, Shags, enough. We're making her uncomfortable. Daph's in the van. She left just a minute ago. She heard most of your speech; she said she felt sick, though, and that she didn't want to fight the crowds. She's waiting for us in the car."

Shaggy whispered to Velma, "I swear it was that Chinese food we had last night." He made a funny face. "My whole stomach felt like a roller coaster last night after that meal. I think that's the first time I haven't been satisfied after dinner."

She stifled a laugh.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Daphne was sitting in the back of the van when they all piled in. Scooby Doo was laying beside her on the floor, snoring through blissful slumbers, a stuffed toy in his arms. "Hey, guys..." Daphne whispered. "Shh, he's asleep." She nodded her head towards Scooby.

Velma smiled. "Hey, are you okay, Daph?"

"Yeah, my stomach doesn't feel right, though. So, Fred, where to?" Daphne crawled into the front seat, plopping down in between her boyfriend and Velma.

"Well, it's…it's a bit of a surprise."

Daphne shrugged. "Okay, I guess…"

He grinned. "Just wait, Daph."

"Okay, okay…"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Velma stepped out of the van, looking around her. "Fred, where are we?"

Fred grinned, jumping out of the van. "We…are at the old Malt Shop. Or…where it used to be, before it burned down."

Shaggy grinned. "Hey, this is it! Scoob, come here!"

Scooby, still groggy from his nap, slumped up to Shaggy and looked up at his friend.

"Look, dude, it's our old home away from home!"

Scooby took one look at the flat, cememted ground in front of him and burst into tears."Our…our rold rome raray rom rome!"

"Yeah, this place was great…" Velma smiled. "But…why are we here, Fred?"

"This." He picked up a 'For Sale' sign marked with a red 'Sold' sticker. "I was afraid to tell you about this, Velma, but I think now that is has to happen. Red Herring is using you, Velms. He bought the land from the old Malt Shop, and is planning to open a mini-mall. He needed you for that."

Daphne looked puzzled. "Why, Fred?"

"Because. Look, it's simple. Velma's father owned the old Malt Shop, right? Well, he's the only one who has the official right to sell his property. Unfortunately, Red knew this. So he's been trying to get to Velma and get all close to her so he could get the property from Mr. Dinkly."

Shaggy frowned. "But the sign says Sold. He already owns it, right?"

"Wrong. He doesn't 'officially' own it." He peeled the sticker off the sign. "He got this down at the hardware store the other day and taped it on. He doesn't have the land yet."

"But how do you know this?" Daphne raised an eyebrow.

"Easy. I got on the phone to Red's mother. I told her I was an old friend and was wondering where he was and what he was doing these days. Poor thing. She sounded so lonely. She talked on and on about how great her son is. It took me forever just to get off the phone with her."

Shaggy looked at Velma, who was just standing and grinning. "Velms?"

She burst into laughter. "Fred Jones, it took you this long to figure all this OUT? I've known since the day Red and I first went out. Red Herring would never date me! I just got curious as to what he was up to. So I went out with him, and even forced him into a book fair!"

Daphne sighed. "But, Velma, why did you get so mad at us when we asked about it all?"

"Because I wanted to solve this small, minute mystery on my own. I love you guys, but this mystery actually involved me, and I had to do it alone."

Shaggy smiled. "I can understand that."

Fred didn't look so pleased. "Well, Velma, are you going to tell your father to let him have the property?"

"No way! Red Herring is a snake! He's not getting our old Malt Shop!"

"That's good!" Daphne breathed a sigh of relief.

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Shaggy and Velma stood out on the back patio, the rest of the gang inside watching a movie.

Shaggy turned to Velma. "Velma, was it, like, that bad seeing Patrick?"

Velma looked up at the glittering moon that hung high in the sky, the soft breeze ruffling her light brown hair. "Well…I mean, I'm over him, but…it was so…horrible seeing him. I mean, it's like…seeing a sack or garbage walk back into your house after you've thrown it out. You know?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

Velma looked over at him and smiled. "You're a great friend, Shaggy. Thank you."

He smiled and remained silent for several minutes, just happy standing next to her, staring at the moon.

He glanced over at her just as she was sneaking a peak at him. They both turned bright red and stared back at the sky.

He spoke up. "Velma…is it possible…"

"That we could be more than friends?"

"Yeah…"

"That we could be like Fred and Daphne?"

"Yeah…"

"That we could grow old together?"

"If we live to be old…"

They smiled at one another.

Velma stood on her tiptoes and pecked his lips gently. "My thoughts exactly."

The moon continued to twinkle high in the sky, glimmering with a faint tint of the color orange.

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Voila! It is finished! I don't plan to do an epilogue, for two reasons. One, I don't think this story needs one, and two, I'm too busy writing Secret Santa. I hope you all remember to leave a review and please, please check out my story, Secret Santa! It's a new Sailor Moon Christmas story, but I promise you, you don't have to like Sailor Moon or even know what it is to like this story. Its just a Christmas romance with a bit of humor. I hope you all enjoyed this story, though, and please, please, please check out some of my others and leave me a review…eh…I'm repeating myself…sorry….hehehe….

Luv ya and God Bless!

See you next Scooby Story! ;)

LunaGirl


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